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ANA-PAC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

WHAT IS A PAC?

Federal election law prohibits organizations, such as the American Nurses Association (ANA), from making political contributions to federal candidates and committees. In order to participate, organizations are required to create political action committees (PACs) that raise voluntary personal contributions from their members to support candidates running for federal office. PACs also use these contributions to support political parties and other PACs. Federal PACs are regulated by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and are a legal and transparent way for members of organizations to be involved in the political process.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE SOLICITED FOR ANA-PAC?

ANA-PAC can only solicit members of ANA and their families. Members of ANA are defined as those with joint membership (ANA and state membership, ANA only membership and E-Members). ANA-PAC can also solicit ANA’s administrative staff and their families, who are comprised of salaried, full-time, exempt employees with policy making, managerial or supervisory responsibilities and their families. All eligible individuals must be U.S. citizens or green card holders.

HOW DOES ANA-PAC HELP ADVANCE NURSING AND HEALTH CARE?

PACs recognize there is power in numbers which in turn provide greater political clout for influencing policy decisions that directly affect their members. Specifically, ANA-PAC allows the association to:
Support incumbent candidates who demonstrated their commitment to advance nursing’s agenda as evidenced by sponsoring ANA bills, joining the Congressional Nursing Caucus and / or their voting record on issues important to ANA members.Connect with new candidates to educate them about the issues most critical to the association, as set by its membership.Be the leading voice in representing nursing’s interests in the policy-making arena.

WHAT IS ANA’S ENDORSEMENT PROCESS?

Two types of endorsement are available: financial contribution or name only.
ANA staff routinely field requests from Congressional campaigns, and send a questionnaire to all non-incumbent candidates; which is designed to elicit the candidate’s knowledge of key ANA nursing issues. Incumbents’ voting records are reviewed. All candidates are interviewed by ANA staff. ANA staff works closely with the candidates and State Nurses Associations to provide the ANA-PAC board with a final recommendation derived from a compilation of information and associated endorsement score. The PAC board reviews all documentation and in turn decides on whether ANA-PAC should endorse the candidate.

The 1984 ANA House of Delegates requested endorsements be expanded to include Presidential candidates. The Presidential endorsement process differs slightly in that ANA initiates contact, sending the campaign a questionnaire for the candidate’s completion. The ANA-PAC Board of Trustees creates a special task force who examine candidate responses followed by an interview. As with Congressional candidates, they are interviewed only if a completed questionnaire is returned. ANA membership is also given the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate through on-line voting. The ANA-PAC Board of Trustees vote on a recommendation. Their findings and recommendation are communicated to the ANA Board of Directors for their final vote to endorse one, both or refrain from an endorsement.

WHO MAKES UP THE ANA-PAC BOARD?

The ANA-PAC Board consists of 11 trustees. Three are sitting members of the ANA Board of Directors (BOD) who are appointed to one-year terms by the ANA President. The remaining 8 trustees are appointed to two-year terms by the BOD based on the recommendation of the board's Committee on Appointments. The ANA-PAC Board of Trustees page lists the current members.

WHAT ARE ANA’S PAC GOALS?

There are two goals:Consistently raise at least $500K each election cycle (2 years)Attain at least 6% participation from ANA-PAC eligible members

WHY ANA MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE TO THE PAC?

Nurses advocate for their patients at the bedside, and have an obligation to influence policy for patients, organizations, systems, and the profession.
Specifically, there are three provisions depicted in the ANA Code of Ethics that best describe nurse ethical obligations. The nurse:

• “promotes, advocates for and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient”;
• “participates in establishing, maintaining and improving health care environments and condition of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action”; and
• “the nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national and international efforts to meet health needs.”

DOES ANA-PAC ENDORSE BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS?

Yes. ANA-PAC targets and supports those candidates who have a willingness to understand ANA's principles and policy issues regardless of party affiliation. As a PAC donor, you can select the party to which your donation will be directed. ANA members are encouraged to become a part of the process; run for the PAC board, volunteer in campaigns and get out and vote on Election Day.

ARE MEMBER’S DUES USED TO SUPPORT FEDERAL CANDIDATES OR COMMITTEES?

No. Member dues are never used to support political campaigns or to financially support any political committee. That is illegal. However, ANA’s member dues are used to defray the daily administrative costs of operating the PAC.

HOW MUCH IS AN ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO ANA-PAC?

Participation in ANA-PAC is wholly voluntary. Eligible individuals are free to contribute any amount between $1 and $5,000 (as limited by federal law), or to contribute nothing at all. Any listed contribution amount is a simply a suggestion. No member will be favored or disadvantaged by the amount of the individual’s contribution or their decision to not make a contribution to ANA-PAC.

WHAT IF AN ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT PARTICIPATE?

No individual will be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount of the employee’s contribution or the employee’s decision not to contribute.

IS A CONTRIBUTION TO ANA-PAC TAX DEDUCTIBLE?

No. Political contributions are not tax deductible per federal guidelines.

CAN’T ANA CONTRIBUTE DIRECTLY TO FEDERAL CANDIDATES?

Federal law prohibits associations from contributing directly to candidates which is why ANA created ANA-PAC. ANA-PAC uses its funds to contribute directly to federal candidates and other political committees.

WHO DOES THE PAC REPRESENT?

The ANA PAC is all encompassing. ANA and the state nurses associations represent the interests of all registered nurses, regardless of practice setting or specialty. Policy makers recognize ANA as the Voice of Nursing on Capitol Hill.

HOW DO I GET ON THE ANA-PAC BOARD OF TRUSTEES?

Members of the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees are appointed by the ANA Board of Directors based on the recommendation of the board’s Committee on Appointments (COA). Individual ANA members may nominate themselves for appointment by submitting a nomination during the annual Call for Nominations for Appointed Positions (open in 2018 from April 16 through June 29). Since all trustee terms are aligned with the Federal election cycle, nominations for the ANA-PAC are accepted in even years only. For more information about the appointments process, please visit the Committee on Appointments web page. Minimum criteria for service on the ANA-PAC Board of Trustees include:
Being an active member of a C/SNA/ANA or an IMD member and a registered voterDemonstrating interest in political activities, evidenced by involvement with the political action committee of a C/SNA-PAC and/or experience in political campaigns and/or political fundraisingHaving the ability to give or get a minimum of $1,000 per calendar year for fundraisingHaving familiarity with the N-STAT Leadership TeamHaving experience with lobbying at the local, state, or national level
Having a pattern of consistent contribution to the ANA-PAC
Please contact leader@ana.org if you have any questions about nominations.

Contributions to ANA-PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to ANA-PAC are voluntary and used for political purposes. Contributions to ANA-PAC will be used in connection with federal elections and are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Any guidelines for contributing are merely suggestions and you may contribute more or less than the guidelines suggest or nothing at all. The Association will not favor or disadvantage anyone by reason of the amount of their contribution, or their decision not to contribute. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal. ANA-PAC only accepts money from eligible ANA members. Non-eligible donations will not be accepted. Federal law requires ANA-PAC to request and report the name, address, occupation and employer for each person whose contributions exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00) or more in a calendar year.